


Forget-Me-Not

by Rosage



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Other, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 18:45:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15419262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosage/pseuds/Rosage
Summary: Muriel braves the city to deliver something to Asra.





	Forget-Me-Not

**Author's Note:**

> This is a belated cross-post of my fic for Asra's birthday.

Even in the dusk Muriel draws stares. Fear flickers in a stranger’s eye, and he draws his hood over his face. _They’ll forget soon_. _They’ll forget soon_. He scampers to make it happen faster.

He slows as the shop comes into view. Once on the steps, he stands for several moments before knocking as quietly as he can. The sound still makes him wince. _Please be Asra_. _Please be Asra_. Seconds stretch before the door swings open.

“Muriel! What a surprise.”

Asra’s soft beam almost makes Muriel lower his hood, but he glances over his shoulder at the lantern-lit street. “It’s not a surprise.”

“It is to me. Did I forget something?”

Muriel’s gaze shifts over his other shoulder before fixing on Asra’s feet. “Yeah. Are _they_ here?”

“They’re asleep. It was a rough day of training.” Muriel’s eyes flick up to catch the concern in Asra’s own, and his chest burns. Asra blinks it away. “Come inside.”

Muriel stoops to fit in the doorframe, remaining as compact as he can to not knock over anything. When Asra invites him upstairs, he stays put. Asra fiddles with a crystal on the counter. “Are you hungry?”

“No.”

“When was the last time you ate?”

Muriel shrugs.

“I’ll go make us something,” Asra says, but Muriel stops him with a hovering hand.  
  
“Wait.” Chewing on his lip, Muriel digs into his pocket and pulls out a talisman. Asra takes it from him with soft, careful fingers, which turn it over while he hums a note that vibrates with magic.

“The ward on this is powerful,” Asra says.

“It’s powerful enough to keep you safe. Maybe.” With a furrowed brow Muriel pulls out a second talisman. “For _them_. So you’ll keep that one.”

When Asra takes this one, he squeezes Muriel’s fingers. “Thank you,” he says, on the verge of sounding overcome. He switches to a teasing tone. “What, it is my birthday or something?” Muriel is silent. “Seriously? Wow, I totally forgot.”

Did _they_ forget, too, or did Asra never tell them? Muriel doesn’t know how to feel either way. So many birthdays passed with just the two of them, under a bridge or in the woods, giving each other gifts they made or found.

Just like Muriel wanted.

There were other birthdays, too. One where Muriel was trapped in a cage, one where Asra spent the night drinking with friends who don’t remember.

Muriel’s eyes flick up to the ceiling as he reaches for his bag, pulling out eggs, roots, mushrooms. Asra whistles at the growing collection on the counter. “Is this all for me, too?”

“Yeah.”

Again concern dampens Asra’s features. “Will you stay long enough for me to cook it?”

With a nod from Muriel, Asra smiles up at him in a way that unwinds his tension. Carefully Asra takes Muriel’s hand in both of his, like a sandwich with too much filling, and rubs his knuckles with his thumbs.

“Thank you for remembering,” Asra whispers. Muriel doesn’t move until Asra lets go.


End file.
